Managing Cristiano: Stefano Leaves Cristiano Ronaldo out of Kings Cup Squad to Keep Him Fresh
On Monday, Al Nassr faced off against Al Hazm in the King’s Cup of Champions and left it until the 2nd minute of added time to secure the winner. Missing out on the match was Cristiano Ronaldo with new manager Stefano Pioli focusing on managing the star’s minutes to keep him fresh.
Cristiano, 39, has expressed a desire to keep on playing and defying age as he hunts more records at both club and international level. On Monday, the contest against Al Hazm, who play in the second-tier league of Saudi football, provided a chance for Pioli to rest his star player.
However, despite the perceived level of the opponent, Al Nassr struggled to put the game to bed. An opener from Sadio Mane in the dying minutes of the first half put the Saudi Pro League side ahead. Al Hazm fought back and were rewarded in the 62nd minute when Basil Yousef Alsayyali equalized.
Al Nassr were dominant in all aspects of the game, including possession (65%-35%), shots (21-7), and a pass accuracy of 86% compared to Al Hazm’s 74%. Despite that, they struggled for long periods to secure the winner with a resilient Al Hazm absorbing the pressure.
With Stefano Pioli opting to rest Ronaldo and several other key players, there was a lack of quality in the Al Nassr squad. However, the second-string lineup proved themselves with a late winner coming in the 92nd minute, with Nawaf Boushal getting his name on the scoresheet.
Next, Al Nassr will host Al Wehda in the Saudi Pro League, with Cristiano and other starters expected to return. Al Nassr remain unbeaten in the league this season and they will look to extend their run as they keep up with early pacesetters Al Hilal.
